Prayers

My card today could cover several needs.  I am part of a group of ladies at my church called Prayer Angels.  We each pick a name of one of the group out of a hat and become that person's "Prayer Angel."  We offer prayers for her throughout the year and send cards of encouragement.  A card similar to this one would fill the bill perfectly.  Or . . . it could be used as a sympathy card.   Unfortunately, we all need those occasionally.  I used three different CottageCutz dies on this card, including one of the new Expressions Plus dies.

To begin my card I cut a piece of purple cardstock 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", scoring it at 4 1/4".  I also cut a piece of green cardstock 4" x 5 1/4" and a piece of coordinating pattern paper 3 7/8" x 5 1/8".

Then I cut the cross/vine, the Prayers phrase, and the rounded rectangle panel from various colored cardstock.

Using Ranger Distress inks (Bundled Sage and Antique Linen) as well as a dark yellow Copic marker, I added some dimension to the die-cuts.

I then constructed my cross and vine, attaching the flowers with mini brads.

Because I was going to stamp an additional sentiment in black ink, I decided to shadow my "Prayers" Expressions Plus sentiment with black.  To make the adherence process easier, I had run the panels of cardstock through my Xyron X sticker maker prior to cutting out the words.

I then stamped the small sentiment in the lower right-hand corner of the pale green rectangle, added the cross/vine, which were popped up with foam tape, and constructed the rest of my card.

CottageCutz dies used on this card are:

CCEE1502 Sympathy Card

Vicky, our CCEE Stampers hostess today said that it is the 20th anniversary of her mom's entrance into heaven and asked us to make a sympathy card we could put in our stash for when we needed one.  I made mine very clean and simple.

Join the rest of the team over on the CCEE Stampers blog and see how they responded to Vicky's request.

CCEE1303 - CAS Sympathy Card

Joanne asked the CCEE Stampers to make a CAS sympathy card this week.  When I think CAS, I think:  one layer/minimal imaging/lots of white space.  I think I achieved that with my card.

To make my card I first embossed a Labels Five shape into the center of the card.  Then I stamped the image inside the die and sponged around the edges.  It's hard to see the embossed frame, but you can definitely see the sponging.  I used two different stamp sets from Mark's Finest Papers, a Heinrich Company, on my card:  Pussy Willows and Oopsy Daisy.

If you'd like to try your hand at a CAS Sympathy card, join us over on the CCEE Blog and link your card up at the end of the post.

Stamps:  Mark's Finest Papers - Pussy Willows, Oopsy Daisy
Paper:  MFP Premium Heavy White
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Weathered Wood
Accessories:  Labels Five, Sponge applicator, Copic markers

Stampin'B's Challenge #18 - Masculine Sympathy Card

Joanne (jojot) was our hostess for this week's Stampin'B's Design Team Blog Challenge. Sympathy cards are always difficult for me, and masculine ones are harder yet. Joanne’s challenge, therefore, was a double header! I also wanted to try some watercoloring, which is not one of my strengths.


I stamped this wonderful, sturdy oak tree by Rubber Stampede onto watercolor paper and colored it with markers and a water brush. The card base of Very Vanilla is matted with Close to Cocoa. The two pieces of DP are from Basic Grey’s Archaic pad, which I really like on masculine cards – what with all the greens and browns in it. The small photo corners were punched using an EK Success punch. I added a couple of jumbo eyelets and some brown not-so-feminine ribbon, tied in a knot.

P.S. I attached the sentiment with repositionable glue because I intend to remove it and replace it with a Happy Birthday sentiment so I can send it to my son. Does that make me a lazy mother -- that I didn’t want to make a completely different card? I hope not!

* Stamps - Oak Tree and sentiment both by Rubber Stampede
* Paper - SU Very Vanilla, Close to Cocoa, Basic Grey Archaic DP, Watercolor paper
* Ink - Stazon Jet Black
* Accessories - Jumbo Eyelets, Ribbon, EK Success photo corner punch, Corner rounder, Markers, Water brush